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Volunteers wanted! ASCLA awards committee seeks virtual participants

We are seeking a few additional members to volunteer for the ASCLA Awards Committee! Could it be you?!

Keep reading for more information about the committee and its responsibilities. If you’re interested in participating, please send an e-mail to the following people prior to Sept. 1: ASCLA President Sara Laughlin (saraglaughlin@gmail.com, Award Committee Chair Will Reed (will.reed@cpl.org) and ASCLA Marketing and Programs Manager Liz Markel (lmarkel@ala.org) with the subject line “ASCLA Awards Committee Volunteer.”

What does the ASCLA Awards Committee do? What are my obligations as a committee member? The role of the awards committee is to promote the open nomination period for the awards each fall, with help from the ASCLA office. Once the nominations have been received, the committee meets virtually to review the nomination materials and select winners. Committee members also help gather information about winners via phone and e-mail that supports the announcement and promotion of the winners by the ASCLA office.

How often do we meet? Do I have to attend conferences? The work of the committee is done virtually, so no conference attendance is required. Awards are presented at the ASCLA/COSLA Reception at the ALA Annual Conference; committee members are encouraged to attend and participate if they are attending the conference, but it’s not required. The committee meets approximately quarterly via phone and also engages in virtual conversations using ALA Connect.

What kind of person/skills are you looking for to serve on this committee? We are looking for members to represent the state library, consulting/independent librarians and consortia/networking constituencies of ASCLA on this committee. We are also looking for members who are willing to do a little virtual work engaging the library community to spread the word about the awards and help find nominees, thoughtfully contribute to the nominee review process and correspond by e-mail or phone with a winner or two to publicize the award in the spring.

ASCLA offers five awards annually—here’s a brief overview:

  • ASCLA/Keystone Library Automation System (KLAS)/National Organization on Disability (NOD) Award A $1,000 award and certificate for a library organization that has provided services for people with disabilities. The award recognizes an innovative and well-organized project which successfully developed or expanded services for people with disabilities. The award can be for a specific service(s) program or for a library that has made their total services more accessible through changing physical and/or attitudinal barriers.
  • Francis Joseph Campbell Award A citation and a medal presented to a person or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of library service for the blind and physically handicapped. This contribution may take the form of an imaginative and constructive program in a particular library; a recognized contribution to the national library program for blind persons; creative participation in library associations or organizations that advance reading for the blind; a significant publication or writing in the field; imaginative contribution to library administration, reference, circulation, selection, acquisitions, or technical services; or any activity of recognized importance.
  • ASCLA Exceptional Service Award A citation presented to recognize exceptional service to patients, to the homebound, to people of all ages who live in group homes or residences, and to inmates, as well as to recognize professional leadership, effective interpretation of programs, pioneering activity, and significant research of experimental projects.
  • ASCLA Leadership & Professional Achievement Award This prestigious award is presented to one or more ASCLA members (personal or organizational) exemplifying leadership and achievement in one or more of the following areas: consulting, library cooperation, networking, statewide services and programs and state library development.
  • Cathleen Bourdon Service Award This citation is presented to an ASCLA personal member for outstanding service and leadership to the division. The award recognizes sustained leadership and exceptional service through participation in activities which have enhanced the stature, reputation, and overall strength of ASCLA; and representation of ASCLA to other appropriate organizations, institutions, or governmental agencies.

If you’re interested in participating, please send an e-mail to the following people prior to Sept. 1: ASCLA President Sara Laughlin (saraglaughlin@gmail.com, Award Committee Chair Will Reed (will.reed@cpl.org) and ASCLA Marketing and Programs Manager Liz Markel (lmarkel@ala.org) with the subject line “ASCLA Awards Committee Volunteer.”

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Call for online learning proposals: Submit by Sept. 10 for ASCLA online courses, webinars

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ASCLA invites subject matter experts and experienced librarians with knowledge to share to submit proposals for ASCLA webinars and online courses to be presented between October 2013 and August 2014 as a part of ASCLA’s outstanding online learning offerings.

ASCLA welcomes proposals on topics that will assist our diverse membership in improved service delivery and job performance, as well as topics that reflect ASCLA’s expertise and are valuable for all types of libraries, librarians and library support staff across the profession.

Proposals will be accepted Aug. 1-Sept. 1 through September 10. Webinars approved for presentation will be offered between Oct. 22 and Dec. 1. Approved online courses will launch in February or March 2014.

What are we currently offering as webinars and online courses? Check them out at the ASCLA website. More information about the submission process and ASCLA’s online learning offerings is at the ASCLA website under the Online Learning section.

Webinar presenters and online learning instructors are compensated for their work and will receive training and support for Blackboard Collaborate, the webinar technology platform used by the division, and Moodle, the online tool used for courses.

Ready to submit a proposal?

Access the online webinar submission form here.

          Download a PDF of the webinar form to help you prepare your submission.

Access the online course submission form here.

          Download a PDF of the online course form to help you prepare your submission.

Proposal topics for courses and webinars may include, but are not limited to the following (listed in no particular order, and bulleted for easier reading):

  • ADA updates for libraries; adult programming in a correctional library; eBooks;
  • assessing accessibility knowledge; benchmarks and evaluation measures; best practices, standards and guidelines to improve library services;
  • innovative services for an aging population; budgeting; collaborative digitization;
  • correctional librarianship 101: covering the basics of a good prison/jail library; data analysis and assessment;
  • dealing with learning disabilities; designing effective surveys; cultivating member loyalty through relationships in cooperative organizations;
  • download training for patrons who use screen readers; emerging technologies for those with special needs, including apps and iPads;
  • evaluating and improving cooperative services; evaluation content analysis; financial literacy;
  • future trends in library service; GIS training; grants: how to find grant funding and write your proposal;
  • group purchasing; health literacy; how to be a consultant; how to be a futurist; how to deliver online training;
  • how to hire a library consultant; nonprofit leadership; increasing public understanding of the value of libraries;
  • innovations in library service; law librarianship for correctional librarians; managing and improving services in a library cooperative;
  • marketing library services to special needs populations; marketing on a shoestring budget; navigating book selection sources;
  • outcomes-based education; outreach skills; outreach to visually or physically handicapped populations;
  • partnering with community organizations; project planning; public education as a marketing tool; recognizing great service in member libraries;
  • seeking grants for consultancy work; services to library patrons with cognitive or mental impairments;
  • low-literacy adults; diverse populations, including special needs populations; tablet computers;
  • training staff to confidently serve library users with disabilities, and raising awareness of this important population;
  • technology trends for special needs populations; utilizing focus groups to prioritize services to the disabled; and working with refugees.

Questions about submissions or about ASCLA’s online learning programs should be sent to Andrea Hill, ASCLA web manager and primary online learning contact at ahill@ala.org.

 

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ASCLA Online Learning: Personalities in the workplace, emotional intelligence and services to people with disabilities

Summertime is learning time! Get signed up for a webinar or online course with ASCLA today and reap the benefits of online professional development: affordable, convenient and valuable.

More information about all of our upcoming online learning offerings, including scheduling, pricing and group discounts, is available at the ASCLA online learning page: http://www.ala.org/ascla/asclaevents/onlinelearning/onlinelearning

Questions about the registration process should be sent to registration@ala.org.

Questions about course content or schedules should be sent to Web Manager Andrea Hill at ahill@ala.org.

==Upcoming ASCLA Webinars==

We are offering two series of webinars presented by Linda Bruno, an outstanding trainer who just presented our Servant Leadership workshop in Chicago with rave reviews!

When you register for either of these series, you are registering for three separate webinar sessions on the dates and times listed below. Register for both series–a total of six webinars–and save 15%! All webinar sessions will be recorded, and links to the recordings will be sent to paid registrants so you’ll be able to catch up if you miss a session.

>>>WEBINAR SERIES 1: Understanding Personalities in the Workplace, Aug. 14, 21, and 28, 2:00-3:00 PM

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why did they DO that?” attend this informative and fun workshop series and find out! Participants will learn and begin to master an understanding of their own personality style; the characteristics of each of the 4 personality styles; how to interact with each of the 4 styles; and an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each style.

>>>WEBINAR SERIES 2: Emotional Intelligence in Your Workplace, Sept. 18, 25 and Oct. 2, 2:00-3:00 PM

Emotional Intelligence: simply defined, it’s being intelligent about emotions–yours and others’. We’ll delve into how our behavioral styles can affect our levels of emotional intelligence. We’ll also take a closer look at emotions: What are emotions anyway? Are we even aware of them when they happen? Can we control them? We’ll also probe how our emotions affect how we interact with others and discover the potential for improving our emotional intelligence, why it matters in the workplace, and why it might be challenging to do so.

 

==Upcoming ASCLA Online Courses==

>>>Improving Library Services to People With Disabilities Oct. 14 – Nov. 10, 2013

Two live course chat meetings: Chat 1:  Thursday, October 24, 3-4 p.m. Central Time. Chat 2:  Thursday, November 7, 3-4 p.m. Central Time.

CEUs now available for this course! Participants will identify library users with disabilities at their library and the resources and assistive technologies available to assist them; examine changes in attitudes, laws and technologies that have impacted people with disabilities; and recommend changes in personal and organizational behaviors to improve services for people with disabilities at their library.

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Deadline extended! Submit your program, preconference or institute proposal for 2014 by July 31

Now that the 2013 Annual Conference is over, it’s time to start looking ahead to 2014!

The ASCLA Conference Programming Committee is accepting proposals until July 31, 2013 for the following types of programming:

  • Institutes for the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia
  • Preconferences for the 2014 Annual Conference in Las Vegas
  • Programs for the 2014 Annual Conference in Las Vegas

Institutes and preconferences are ticketed events held on the Friday of the conference. Programs are held throughout the Annual Conference and are included as a part of conference registration.

You can access the online program proposal form here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ascla2014progpreconproposal

You can also download a PDF of the form in preparation for submitting the online form. Only online submissions will be accepted! (If you run into accessibility challenges with either version of the form, please contact us so we can help you out!)

The revised deadline for submissions is Wednesday, July 31!

We have a limited number of slots available for each type of event, so put your best foot forward when submitting a proposal.

Who can propose a program, institute or preconference? Any current ASCLA member can propose one of these events, however we strongly encourage support and sponsorship from one of our interest groups! If you’re not an interest group member, consider joining one and using the group as a springboard for your conference event ideas. Check out the list of our interest groups, contact information for interest group leaders and instructions on how to join.

What sorts of topics are of interest? The best topics represent ASCLA’s core member areas–state library agencies, special populations librarians, independent librarians and library consultants, and resource-sharing librarians at networks and cooperatives–but are also of interest to librarians throughout the profession from all types of libraries. Keep in mind that topics should still be relevant in January and June 2014 when they are finally presented! You can browse our interest group list here for inspiration.

If my event is accepted and approved by ASCLA, what will I be responsible for? You will be responsible for recruiting and serving as a liaison to the event speakers, as well as being on-site the day of the event to help coordinate event details. You will work with the ASCLA office to set up the event details with ALA Conference Services. The ASCLA office will promote your event, and will give you the tools to help spread the word.

I’m not an ASCLA member, but I’d like to get involved with program planning. The best way to do this is to join ASCLA, and then join one of our many interest groups.

Anything else I should know? If you’re going to go through the trouble of planning an in-person event, we want to maximize the reach of that information! Consider offering a webinar or other online learning opportunity in conjunction with the in-person event that will enhance the learning experience! So for example, you might offer a webinar in early May as a teaser for the content that will be covered at your conference program in June. In late July, you might host a follow-up discussion using a tool like ALA Connect, Google Hangout or Blackboard Collaborate that brings program attendees together to continue the conversation about what you’ve discussed at the previous two events.

Questions about the program planning process? Please contact Rosario Garza, committee chair at rgarza@socallibraries.org and Liz Markel, ASCLA marketing & programs manager at lmarkel@ala.org.

We look forward to receiving your proposals!

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ASCLA Conference Programs: Links for online evaluations

We hope you enjoyed ASCLA’s programs and preconferences at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago! To help us prepare for 2014 programs and other upcoming professional development offerings, we’d appreciate your feedback on your 2013 experiences 2013.

Please take a moment to complete an evaluation for each ASCLA program you attended. Use the specified links below for each program; in other words, once you’ve completed one evaluation, come back and use a different link to access the evaluation for another program. It’s the only way you’ll be able to use the evaluation form multiple times.

Programs:

  • President’s Program: Storytelling Mojo: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/programascla13storytellingmojo
  • Boomers to Seniors: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/programascla13boomers2seniors
  • Do Those Evaluation Statistics Mean Anything: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/programascla13evaluationstatistics
  • Arts and School Libraries Inside: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/programascla13schoollibraries
  • Easy and Affordable Accessibility: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/programascla13accessibility
  • Beyond Brainstorming: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/programascla13brainstorming

Preconferences:

  • Discovery to Delivery: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/preconascla13discovery2delivery
  • Servant Leadership at Your Library: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/preconascla13servantleadership
  • Ports in a Storm: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/preconascla13portsinstorm

Oh, and if you joined us for a program but you’re not an ASCLA member, please consider joining us! We are a small, mighty and innovative division of ALA with diverse areas of interest across the library profession. Learn more about the division and ASCLA membership!

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Video Interview with ASCLA President’s Program Speaker Michael Margolis: See It Now

Get psyched up for the ASCLA President’s Program with a video interview between Stacey Aldrich, ASCLA President, and Michael Margolis of @getstoried here.

Michael and Stacey give us some good food for thought in preparation for Michael’s appearance at the 2013 ASCLA President’s Program, “Storytelling Mojo: Creating the 21st Century Library Narrative.” Learn storytelling strategies specific to the unique opportunities and challenges faced by libraries today. For the last year, our presenter, Michael Margolis, CEO of Get Storied, has collaborated closely with both the California and Pennsylvania State Libraries around this issue. Come learn why it’s important to tell your story, how to do it right, and some simple ways to get storied.

Add the program to your conference schedule: ala13.ala.org/node/11476

Register for the 2013 ALA Annual Conference: ala13.ala.org/register-now

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Libraries and incarcerated youth: Conference programs from ASCLA

ASCLA is hosting two programs focused on library services to incarcerated youth. Join us for one or both of these exciting events and get “outside of the (library services) box” to get a new perspective on the importance of libraries, and their role as a lifeline for incarcerated youth.

Arts + School Libraries Inside

Saturday, June 29, 2013 – 4:30pm to 5:30pm

Scheduled for McCormick Place Room N427d. Check the event listing in the scheduler for the most up-to-date information.

This program will explore the ways in which school libraries serving incarcerated and detained youth incorporate the arts. Strategies presented will include: partnerships with arts organizations, partnerships with non-profits, instructional collaboration with art teachers, collection development, programming, and professional development. This presentation will also include examples of student work and project outcomes.

Speakers: Claudio Leon, Library Assistant / Instructional Technology Specialist, Passages Academy and Regan Schwartz, School Librarian, Passages Academy

Tour: Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and Library

Monday, July 1

Separate event registration required! Details below.

Want to find out more about the world of juvenile corrections & juvenile correctional librarianship in general? Are you already working in the field, and interested in seeing how another juvenile correctional facility library operates?  ASCLA and Library Services for Youth in Custody (LSYC) are co-sponsoring and hosting a Juvenile Detention Facility Tour at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and its library on Monday, July 1st, from 8:45am-12:30pm.

The Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and its library, operated by Nancy B. Jefferson Alternative School, are located on the west side of Chicago. Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center is one of the largest youth detention centers in the country. The school and library are operated by Chicago Public Schools and the library is staffed by a full-time, certified school library media specialist. Megan Cusick, Nancy B. Jefferson school librarian, and Camden Tadhg, logistics team chair of LSYC, will be running the tour.

TO REGISTER FOR THE TOUR, PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM BY 5PM CENTRAL TIME ON FRIDAY, JUNE  14.

Tour questions? Contact Camden at Tadhg_C@cde.state.co.us.

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NEWS: Innovation at your library: ASCLA workshops, programming and events at the ALA Annual Conference

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a small and mighty division of ALA, will offer innovative and insightful preconferences, programs and events at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference; this year’s topics include disaster response, leadership development, effective decision-making, accessibility, services to older adults, arts programs for incarcerated youth and service evaluation.

Participants in ASCLA’s preconferences will find themselves at the forefront of library trends, advocacy and self-empowerment. “Ports in a Storm: Your Library as Disaster Recovery Center” will revitalize the role libraries play in their community following a disaster and show you how to build partnerships and access resources to achieve this goal. Librarians can cultivate loyalty from employees and library users as they develop their servant leadership persona with the help of professional library trainer Linda Bruno at the “Servant Leadership in Your Library” preconference. “Discovery to Delivery: Rethinking Resource Sharing” will bring together resource sharing librarians from public and academic libraries to discuss innovations in discovery, trends in physical and virtual delivery, e-books and ILL finances. Review pricing and event details and register for these preconferences at the ASCLA website.

At the ASCLA’s President’s Program, ”Storytelling Mojo: Creating the 21st Century Library Narrative,” speaker Michael Margolis, CEO of Get Storied, will revolutionize your approach to promoting, communicating about and advocating for your library. The program will focus on how we can think strategically about how we communicate within and outside of our libraries more effectively. Through this engaging and interactive session, Margolis will provide simple ways to help design and deliver powerful messages. The ASCLA President’s Program will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday, June 30, 2013 at McCormick Place Convention Center. Get program details and add the program to your schedule.

ASCLA’s conference programs will also offer a multitude of valuable, cutting edge ideas to transform libraries, librarian careers and the way we think about library services:

  • School and youth services librarians won’t want to miss “Arts + School Libraries Inside,” where we’ll discuss how school libraries serving incarcerated youth can create partnerships with arts organizations and non-profits and collaboration with art teachers. We’ll also cover collection development, programming and professional development.

  • Hear from the Institute of Museum and Library Services Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation how to improve the quality of program evaluation at “Do Those Evaluation Statistics Mean Anything?” Topics for discussion include strategies for improving the capacity of libraries to use evaluation by creating a network linking those producing evaluation with those who use the information to make better decisions.

  • Learn how to make decisions more nimbly and confidently with speaker Joan Frye Williams at “Beyond Brainstorming: Making More Effective Decisions.” Williams will present new strategies for decision-making that address modern pressures of time, finances and transparency, as well as the increased pace of change in our professional environments.

  • Help your library serve all people, regardless of abilities, with the tools and tips presented at “Easy and Affordable Accessibility.” Libraries of all sizes will benefit from hearing the lists of go-to resources, easy-to-use adaptive equipment and ways to make your library environment more user-friendly to everyone that will be shared at this session.

  • Interested in new programming ideas for serving older adults? Add “Boomers to Seniors: Library Models for Serving and Engaging Older Adults” to your schedule.The program will highlight two complementary IMLS-funded model programs targeting Baby Boomers–adults born between 1946 and 1964–in a variety of settings inside and outside the library.

Conference participants are also invited to celebrate ASCLA’s 2013 award winners and network with the vibrant membership community at the ASCLA/COSLA Reception, 5:45 – 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 29. Register for the ALA Annual Conference now to participate in conference programming and events. Conference registration is not required in order to register for preconferences–select “Ticketed Events and Preconferences Only” as your registration type.

ASCLA, a small, mighty and growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a diverse organization of librarians and support staff who work in academic and public libraries, state agencies, specialized libraries and cooperatives, as well as those who are self-employed. Our division’s work centers on member-driven interest groups that represent the diversity and important work of our engaged and active members. Learn more about ASCLA and how to join this innovative division.

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NEWS: New ASCLA webinar provides practical tools for increasing usability and accessibility of websites

CHICAGO — “Accessibility is Usability,” a new webinar hosted by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), will tackle Web accessibility and its strong connection to usability and will also discuss adaptive technologies, how to write accessible website code and how to check a website for accessibility.

“Accessibility is Usability” will cover key concepts of accessible Web design, parallels between accessibility and universal design and how to test websites for accessibility. Participants will also learn how websites designed with accessibility in mind can lead to cleaner interfaces that work on multiple monitor sizes, search engine optimization and faster download speeds – features that benefit all website users, regardless of ability. Other topics to be covered include what is meant by “accessibility” in websites; laws governing accessibility; types of disabilities and how people with disabilities use the Web; different adaptive technologies; how to write accessible code and coding’s relationship to universal access. The webinar will be presented by ASCLA member Christopher Corrigan – learn more about Corrigan and this webinar at the ASCLA website.

Public, academic and state libraries will benefit from this webinar, as will libraries serving people with disabilities and librarians charged with creating and disseminating digital content. This webinar is also an excellent opportunity to kickstart discussions of accessibility at your library by bringing a group together for this presentation. A recording of this session will be available to paid registrants following the session.

“Accessibility is Usability” will be held from 1 – 2:15 p.m. Central time on Friday, May 31, 2013. Registration rates start at $40 for ASCLA members, and registration will close on Thursday, May 30. Register online for this webinar now. Group rates are available, with either single login or multiple login options. Get group registration information at ASCLA’s Online Learning page.

ASCLA, a small, mighty and growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a diverse organization of librarians and support staff who work in academic and public libraries, state agencies, specialized libraries and cooperatives, as well as those who are self-employed. Our division’s work centers on member-driven interest groups that represent the diversity and important work of our engaged and active members. Learn more about ASCLA and how to join this innovative division.

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Contribute to the discussion: Consortium Management Interest Group meeting at ALA Annual Conference

If you are interested in sharing an update on your library consortium at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference–whether it is a new direction, a new service or a new approach to providing services, or even to demonstrate the challenges you are facing–please contact Sheryl Knab, chair of the ASCLA Consortium Management Interest Group and executive director of the Western New York Library Resources Council, at sknab@wnylrc.org. Sheryl will be providing an update on the NY 3Rs and their I2NY project–an investigation into the proposed New York State Information Infrastructure initiative.

The Consortium Management Interest Group will be meeting Sunday, June 30, 2013 from 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the Hilton Chicago, Grand Tradition room, 720 South Michigan Ave–add the discussion to your schedule. Presentations should be no more than 10-12 minutes long. A projector will be available for those who wish to use PowerPoint slides; you’ll need to bring your own computer for your presentation. (If you plan to bring a Mac laptop, you’ll need to bring your own dongle to connect to the projector.)

Contact Sheryl ASAP if you’d like to make a presentation.